What is the medication for migraine will help, really – and what brings the syringe

Every seventh German is suffering from a migraine. Pain medications and specific migraine drugs can bring in Acute cases the relief. Stiftung Warentest has reviewed common drugs and also the new migraine-filled syringe under the microscope.

A Stinging in the head, a Pulsating, Nausea, a Flickering before the eyes: migraine has many facets. For the Affected in the majority of cases, painful, and can limit the daily life massively. Some suffer several times in the month of the attacks.

Often, they resort to painkillers such as Ibuprofen. However, “the causes of migraines are at the present time hardly known,” says Dagny Holle-Lee, head of the West German headache and dizziness centre in Essen. “Therefore, a targeted drug therapy is difficult.”

Injection for migraine since the fall in the market

Patients with a particularly severe Form of migraine since November of 2018, a new method of treatment hope: the migraine-filled syringe. Is Aimovig and works like an Insulin Pen for Diabetes. Via a push button, users should be able to inject all Erenumab just the active ingredient. Is injected every four weeks, attacks prevent.

Stiftung Warentest checked out Study

The experts from Stiftung Warentest examined in the current study situation for the migraine-filled syringe. Her conclusion: “The new middle act, but within limits.” Erenumab migraine attacks could reduce about one to three days per month. This corresponds to however, the success of conventional methods for the prevention, such as analgesics or Triptans, which are already in pharmacies.

The largest point of criticism: the side effects of Aimovig are still unclear. Subjects were intolerant of the agent in the course of the study, it could not but occur in the long-term consequences, which are currently not yet foreseeable.

Useful the treatment with the spraying, especially for patients in whom other means have so far been ineffective. However, only about 30 percent of patients also benefit in this group of the new drug.

These migraine remedies act as a preventive measure

Whether the health insurance covers the cost of the new treatment method, patients must check individually. Who does not want to reach for the syringe, can, according to the Foundation’s test by means of a migraine-were to prevent attack:

Other drugs for the treatment of migraine, see the current issue of Stiftung Warentest.

Researchers are working on other Anti-migraine agents

Soon, yet another means of migraine headaches could help patients and the syringe competition. A compound called Emgality with the active ingredient Galcanezumab is on the verge of his admission. It should also come in the Form of a syringe on the market.

To a migraine attack prevention is also a healthy life style is important, stresses neurologist Dagny Holle-Lee. “So it is with migraine, in principle, advisable, to avoid negative Stress and to maintain a healthy and well-balanced. Also, regular exercise and adequate sleep help.“